☆ 5 Awesome Games From EGX 2017 That You're Not Playing Yet ☆ #EGX2017 #EGX

The EGX 2017 show was immense. It was bigger and bolder than the others I've been to previously and it seemed like there were enough video games there to keep a small nation occupied for months!

It was my job to wander the hallowed halls of the NEC and delve into the dimly lit corridors of video games in order to unearth some absolute beauties for you to salivate over.

I've come up with 5 awesome video games that you're not playing yet and each one I just know is going to make you wet yourself with excitement...

So without further ado let me introduce you to The Class Acts Of EGX 2017!

☆ Morphite Ten Minute Taster ☆ #GameDev #IndieGame

"Give me a scanner, a laser pistol and a space craft and watch me discover the joys of Morphite!"

☆ Super Nintendo SNES Classic Mini Unboxing - "Now We're Playing With mini Super Power!"☆ #Retrogaming #SNESClassic

29/09/2017 Will be forever etched in our minds as the return of the Super Nintendo.

Arguably the greatest video games console ever made, this is a big day my friends. 

I'm happy to say that mine arrived promptly this morning and I went about unboxing this beauty and seeing what it's all about.

Take a look at my unboxing video above which includes some awesome music from Captive Portal and then we'll sit down and have a chin wag about the SNES Classic in a bit more detail.

☆ RUINER Advanced Loadouts Video ☆ #Ruiner

"Oh my word this Ruiner video game is tough but I love it!

I need as much help as I can get and i'm sure you do too....

Here's some advanced loadouts for you to ogle... "

☆ Mantis Burn Racing On The Nintendo Switch ☆

"This top down racing marvel Mantis Burn will fit nicely onto the switch, here's a taster to whet your appetite!"

☆ The Retro Console Boom Of 2017 ☆ #Retrogaming

It’s an exciting time to be a gamer and if you have an appreciation for retro gaming then it’s like all your Christmases have come at once with all the retro gaming projects that are going on right now.

☆ DragonBall FighterZ - Tien Is Confirmed! ☆ #DragonBallFighterZ

"Tien has got an extra eye and he's a bad mamma jamma!

This Trailer will get you in the mood for some DragonBall FighterZ madness right now!"

Shame we have to wait until 2018 :(

☆ Pang Man Part 31. The Return of Super Play! ☆ #Retrogaming

A couple of weeks ago I got a text from Rich informing me that a new issue of Super Play was coming out. Needless to say, I was pretty damn excited.

Those who grew up with a SNES, will remember that Super Play was one of the best gaming magazines around. The magazine ran for 47 issues, and ended its run in 1996.

☆ Are You Ready For Bubsy's Return? ☆ #Retrogaming

"It's time to get excited in the Games Freezer as we count down to 
the release of Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back! 

We can't wait to get our hands on this one!"

☆ Review: Mantis Burn Racing "Burn Baby Burn!" ☆

It's been a while since I played any type of racing video game seriously other than arcade racers in the arcades on holiday. Wracking my brains I think the last time I bought a racing video game would have been Need For Speed Shift on XBOX 360.

It's not usually my genre but I do love fun racing games and especially, of course, fun racing games like Mario Kart, Micro Machines, and Super Off Road Racer.

Mantis Burn Racing is a top-down racer that is fun to play and easy to pick up.
VooFoo studios have kept it simple with only a few things to worry about. 

Accelerate, Brake and Boost....

☆ RUINER Launch Trailer ☆

RUINER:

"This game looks bloody great! I'm looking forward to getting stuck into this one!"

"Watch out for a Games Freezer Ten Minute Taster Video on this one soon!"

☆ Review: Peregrin - "a Troll, a bull and a frog walk into a bar…" ☆ #GameDev

Peregrin is a story-driven puzzle game from Domino Digital, easy on the eye and also on the mind.

Peregrin begins with your character, Abi, getting off the boat with which she has traversed the waters separating her village from a massive fortress complex surrounded by a sandy beach. It is here that her journey begins in earnest. 

She has been training for years for this moment, embarking on a mission that no-one before her has yet been able to complete.

☆ Max: The Curse of Brotherhood - PS4 Trailer ☆

This game popped up on my radar this morning, looks like an interesting take on platforming with a crayon drawing mechanic built in. 

Gameplay wise it reminds me a bit of Limbo and theme wise too.

What do you think?

☆ Ten Minute Taster: Senran Kagura - Peach Beach Splash ☆

"Watch me play Splatoon with scantily clad females......."

☆ Review: Planetoid Pioneers "In Space No One Can Hear You 3D Print!" ☆

Planetoid Pioneers - PC

Planetoid Pioneers is a game that is physics driven and developed by Data Realms. Data Realms are an independent studio based around ten countries. They invite players to participate and contribute in the development of their games. Their previous game was Cortex Command which was at the forefront of early access games. 

☆ Ten Minute Taster - Songbringer PS4 ☆

"A giant sword and a thumping soundtrack.......what more do you need?!"

☆ Review: Aftergrinder – “If at first you don’t succeed, die, die, die again” ☆ #GameDev

Aftergrinder - PC

Balancing difficulty in a game is no mean feat. Make it too easy, and all the challenge is lost, as is all the point in playing.

Make it too difficult, and you’ll drive your players to rage quits, broken controllers and the unshakeable belief that your game is unfair. 

In an industry awash with titles on the easy side of the spectrum, it takes some balls to intentionally set out to make a game that’s hard as nails.

Aftergrinder from Grave Danger Games is one such title.

☆ DOOM NOOB - THE FINAL EPISODE - "Spider MasterMind is a PAIN in my A***E!" ☆

"It's taken me about 150 goes at Mr Spider Mastermind BUT finally I've worked out how to squash this little sucker!"

☆ Hitman Hits - "Evan Holden With A Kitchen Knife" ☆

"I'm a trainee Hitman and i'm just earning my stripes with a quick hit on Evan Holden using the trusty kitchen knife"

☆ 8 Player ClusterPuck99 is on its way to Nintendo Switch! ☆

This is mega exciting news for all of us SWITCH owners......

ClusterPuck99 is on its way to Nintendo Switch!

☆ Review: Little Nightmares Comic #1 & #2 "Discover The Maw At Your Own Risk..." ☆

Title: Little Nightmares - Publisher: Titan Comics

Imagine something dark and dank. Imagine a world filled with grotesque individuals who prey on the weak and small. Now imagine a little girl in a bright yellow raincoat who resides in this world and must face her greatest fears in order to survive.

☆ Video Game Hardware Timelines - Atari: 1979 to 1995 ☆ #Retrogaming

I'm a sucker for video games related infographics and recently I have been messing around Inkscape to work out a way to display timelines for Video Games Hardware from the legendary video games companies such as Atari, Nintendo and SEGA.

☆ Ten Minute Taster - Absolver - PS4 ☆

"Become an Absolver with me as I take my first steps to proving my worth as a BUTTON MASHER!"

☆ Things That Go Into The Back Of The TV ☆ #Retrogaming

Recently I stumbled across a picture of an Atari TV Switch Box on Twitter. 

That picture brought back many of the memories of connecting various consoles to my old CRT TV that I had in my bedroom for many years. I always thought the switch boxes looked pretty cool and were an elegant solution to switching between the console of choice and the TV picture.

☆ Thoughts From The Freezer - #1 "Super Play Issue 48 is REAL!" ☆ #Retrogaming

Join me for a chin wag about all the things in the world of video games that I have found interesting over the last few weeks.

☆ Review: Blood Bowl II - "A Beast Of A Game!" ☆ #GameDev

Blood Bowl II - PC

Digital conversions of board games are a welcome part of current generation video gaming trends for me as it has allowed me to experience certain games that I would never have experienced in board game form.

☆ Masquerada Songs and Shadows - Ten Minute Taster ☆

Watch me play an awesome taster of this video game of masks, magic and mystery...

☆ My Nintendo Switch Has Arrived! ☆

Well i'm excited to join the Nintendo Switch Video Games Revolution so I thought i'd record a rough n ready un-boxing video.

Watch out for my joyful face at the end!

☆ Review: Rezrog "Crawl Your Way To Victory" ☆ #GameDev

Rezrog is a turn based role playing game with a wonderful art style putting you in control of tabletop game pieces as you traverse dungeons, fight monsters and discover treasures to help you on your way.

☆ Ten Minute Taster - WindJammers "I hope you like Jammin' too!" ☆ #PS4

"Now I've never played the original Windjammers but this is as close as it gets to the Neo Geo original without playing the Neo Geo original."

Dot Emu have done it again with a beautiful conversion to PS4 of a retro gamng legend"

☆ Ten Minute Taster - Graceful Explosion Machine "Beautiful with lots of Explosions!" ☆ #GameDev

"It's Beautifully Graceful and There Are Lots Of Explosions.....
Watch as I show off my divine ability to be not very good at SHMUPS"

☆ Sun, Sea & Arcade Games Part IV - Back To The Islands ☆ #Arcade #Retrogaming

For me, a trip to the seaside/beach means 3 things...

1. Fish

2. Chips

3. Arcade Games

1&2 were consumed heavily

☆ Review: Nidhogg 2 "There will be (multi-coloured) blood" ☆ #Nidhogg2

Nidhogg 2 - PC

I played the first Nidhogg game a couple of years ago at a friend’s house whilst drunk and had a good time with it.

It was only when I was sent this review copy that I remembered how much fun it actually was and cursed myself for forgetting to buy it and smash into it some more at the time.

I’m pleased to say that Nidhogg 2 does what the sequel should in this case and stays true to the original’s roots whilst improving on every aspect.

☆ Pang Man Part 30 - "The SNES Mini and Other Random Thoughts" ☆ #Retrogaming

When the NES mini came out last Christmas I admit I didn’t anticipate the demand. I didn’t pre-order and missed out. Before I knew it, they were all sold out and I was gutted.

Part of me is tempted to get one off eBay, but I just can’t justify to myself paying £150+ for something that was sold for £70 odd pounds a short time before!

🏒 ☆ Review: Super Blood Hockey - "a strong focus on hitting people in the face" ☆🏒 #GameDev

Super Blood Hockey - PC

Let’s get it out of the way, Super Blood Hockey is a pure blast of arcade action.
Loren Lemcke has managed to capture the arcade feel of some classic games and distill it into a modern formula. Super Blood Hockey is pretty much summed up in its title; this is an arcade style ice hockey game with a strong focus on hitting people in the face, bereft of any repercussions.

☆ Review: Ironcast - "Ironcast, The Thinking Person's Toilet Game" ☆

Ironcast - Nintendo Switch

There is a structure to a certain kind of videogame review whereby you try to describe a new release as an amalgamation of a number of other popular titles.  

For instance, 'game A plays like a cross between Frogger and No Man's Sky'.

To this end, Ironcast could effectively be described as a turn-based, steampunk combat strategy game that serves as a mash up of Candy Crush Saga, Pokemon, and Front Mission.

☆ Retro Review: Darkwing Duck - “When there’s trouble, you call DW!” ☆ #Retrogaming

I hate that I never knew about this game when I was a kid, because it might have rivaled Duck Tales for me as a top platformer.

The show only ran from 1991-1992, but it remains the cartoon I revisit the most from the Disney Afternoon—other than Gargoyles possibly—to this day.

I didn’t actually find out about Drake Mallard starring in his own game until looking into emulation many years later, and I just recently acquired my own physical copy of this game after some searching and patience.

There were rumors of a new version of the duck defender for years, but he will finally make his triumphant return in the new DuckTales cartoon it seems, which means it is as good a time as any to type this one up!

☆ Review: Pauli’s Adventure Island "Good From Far..." ☆

Pauli's Adventure Island - PC

Founded in 2015, HEJVISJ (“to go home” in local Dutch) is a small, indie-game studio based in the Netherlands.

The studio focuses on creating beautiful games with an emphasis on non-violence and accessibility – and with roots as far back as the early 8-bit days. Always forward-thinking, the team at HEJVISJ has already started working on their next game.